MEMOIRS OF WILLIAM COX, J.P.
Lieutenant and Paymaster of N.S.W. Corps or 102nd Regiment
Extract from the Journal kept by Mr. W. Cox in making a road across the Blue Mountains
from Emu Plains to a new country discovered by Mr. Evans to the westward.
THE MOUNTAIN ROAD: September 1814
September 1.
Retained eight men to work at the bridge. Sent the rest forward road-making. Sent back Walters' bullocks to Emu, and received Myers' team.
September 3.
Augmented the men at work on the pass at the bridge to 10, both yesterday and to-day. The road finished to Caley's heap of stones, 17 miles.
September 4 (Sunday).
Removed forward to the bridge the working road gang. Removed forward to Caley's pile. No water for stock near the bridge, nor a blade of grass. The water we get is near a mile distant, and that in a tremendous gulley to the right. Went forward to Caley's pile, and from thence up the rock to Evans' cave you get a view of the country from north-west round to south-west as far as the eye can carry you. From hence the land to the west is still higher. The country to the northwards appears extremely hilly, with nothing but timber and rocks. To the east there appears much level country. Windsor and various parts of cleared land is seen from this.
September 5.
Davis returned to labour; Kendall to cooking. Appledon ill; splinter in the foot. Set the following persons to the pass and bridge:--
- Two carpenters,
- two sawyers,
- two quarrymen,
- two cutting timber,
- and two
- labourers.
- 'Smith employed mending tools and making shoe-nails.
- Shoemaker mending and nailing shoes.
- The remainder of the men employed in road-making forward, under the direction of Mr. Hobby and R. Lewis.
September 6.
All hands employed as before. One extra man brought back to assist at the bridge and pass. Soldier returned from Sydney.
September 8.
Men at work as yesterday. The wind has been very high and cold from the west since Sunday last, and last night it blew a perfect hurricane. Saw a few flying showers yesterday, but we got scarcely any rain, and it appears the wind will carry it away. The country about here very barren. No kangaroos to be seen. Shot one pheasant, with tail complete; shot two others without tail, It appears to be too early in the season for them, as their tails are just shooting, and others not at full length. Scarcely any small birds to be seen.
September 9 and 10.
Workmen employed as before. The bridge rises very fast, and the quarrymen well on with the stonework.
September 11 (Sunday).
Went three miles forward to examine the road with Mr. Hobby and Lewis. From the bridge it continues rocky over two or three small passes to Caley's pile; from thence, at least two miles further, the mountain is nearly a solid rock. At places high broken rocks; at others, very hanging or shelving, which makes it impossible to make a level, good road.
The more the road is used the better it will be.
September 12.
No person on sick list. Continued with 10 men to get on at the bridge and pass until Thursday, when it was completed all but the hand-rails and battening the planks. Gave orders for six men to pack up and go forward in the morning, leaving to complete the bridge two sawyers and two carpenters, which they expect they will complete in three or four days.
Sent forward part of our heavy luggage, and intend removing myself to-morrow. Issued a pair of strong shoes to each man. The bridge we have completed is 80 ft. long, 15 ft. wide at one end and 12 ft. at the other; 35 ft. of it is planked, the remainder filled up with stones.
The face from the bluff end of the rock was about 20 ft. before we began to work. At the left there is a side wall cut from the solid rock. At the right, where the ground is lower, we have put up a rough stone wall about 100 ft. long, which makes the pass to the bridge quite a lane. It is steep from the top of the mountain quite to the lower end of the bridge, a distance altogether of about 400 ft. The bridge and pass have cost me the labour of 12 men for three weeks, which time they worked very hard and cheerful. It is now complete--a strong, solid bridge, and will, I have no doubt, be reckoned a good-looking one by travellers that pass through the mountain.
September 13.
Removed forward; found the road completed to 21 miles. At the latter end of this the ground was completely covered with gum roots. Was obliged to turn all hands to grubbing and finishing the road, and with very hard labour nearly completed the 22nd mile by Saturday night.
September 15 (Sunday).
Went forward to examine the road about three miles ahead. Got on very high ground. The greater part of the scrub burnt here last summer, and the trees also much burnt.
September 16.
Moved forward, ahead of the cleared road. Went as far as the fire-makers had finished. Shot several small new birds the last week, and also a young cockatoo, quite mottled or cuckoo colour. [A small cuckoo called Gang-gang; the head of male bird pink.] There was one old one and three young ones in company, which are the only ones we have seen of the sort. Ordered Angus to bring forward a load of provisions on Wednesday next. Kept a strong party at the grub hoe.
September 17 to 24.
Kept all hands at road-making, and they did a very good week's work, having completed four miles of good road this week. Removed on Saturday to the 26 mile, being just at the foot of a steep mountain. Examined it well, and found it too steep to ascend in a straight direction.
September 25 (Sunday).
Went up the mountain; examined it, and fixed on the way to make a winding road up. This is the highest mountain on the whole range we cross. From it Windsor houses, etc., are distinctly visible, as are the wheatfields, farmhouses, etc. There is a river running to the east about a mile south of this, the banks of which are so high and steep it is not possible to get down. This river empties itself into the Nepean about four miles higher up than Emu Plains. Went forward to fix on a site for a second depot.[Cox's River, emptying into the Wollondilly, about 20 miles above Emu Plains.] Chose one about two miles ahead, close to a stream of excellent water. We have found much greater quantities of water these last six miles than we did before, and all very good.
September 26.
Sent forward two sawyers and two other men to procure the necessary timber, etc., for the second depot. Set 10 men to work making the road up the mountain. The remainder at work as usual road-making. Sent T. Randall to the Windsor Hospital, sick. P. Handrigan ill with a bad sprained ankle.
September 27.
Finished the road up the mountain this evening. Made a very good job of it (cost 10 men two days). The ground extremely rough and rocky for about a mile between the hign mountain and second depot.
September 28.
Worked at the road forward to the second depÙt, where we removed on Thursday morning. The rocky ground we had to pass over was very troublesome, being obliged to turn out of the road a very large quantity of stone, it being too hard to break with sledge-hammers.
